Nation-stopping stuff?

Timeline Scroll through 37 years of hurt for English sports fans

England's greatest chance for a day of national sporting celebration since 1966 flickers tantalisingly on the horizon with the Rugby World Cup final against Australia in Sydney.

Coach Clive Woodward's men are ploughing territory uncharted for more than 30 years as England attempt to conquer the rugby world and catapult the nation back to the top of the sporting tree.

On 30 July, 1966, the streets of England were deserted as the country crowded around televisions and radios to see or hear captain Bobby Moore's football team take on the might of Germany in the football World Cup final.

In the immediate aftermath of the historic 4-2 victory, people poured outside to share in the patriotic fervour of a nation united by sport.

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In London, the West End was at a standstill as thousands of cars and pedestrians thronged the streets.

Groups splashed in joy in the Trafalgar Square fountains, while, around the country, people packed pubs and held impromptu street parties.

But will victory for England's rugby stars in the Telstra Stadium on Saturday spark the same response?

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Despite the descent into delirium for thousands of rugby-mad revellers around the country, the answer seems to be an emphatic no.

The Downing Street office of Prime Minister Tony Blair ruled out declaring a national holiday on Monday in the event of England captain Martin Johnson lifting the Webb Ellis trophy.

"It's unlikely," said a spokesman. "And anyway, we shouldn't get ahead of ourselves."

Rugby just doesn't do the same figures as football ITV spokesman

Meanwhile, televison officials at ITV, who are showing the match live at 0900 GMT, predict a peak of about nine million viewers - impressive for rugby but not likely to force them into a major strategy rethink.

It will not even beat the existing record for a televised rugby match - 13.6m for England's 1991 defeat at the hands of Australia.

"It would be fantastic if we could peak at 10m but these would be very good figures for rugby, which just doesn't do the same figures as football," said ITV spokesman Gary Double.

"And I shouldn't think it will hit viewing figures for the evening schedule at all."

The record for a British sporting event is the 26m who watched England's penalty shoot-out with Argentina at the 1998 World Cup - about the same number who watched England win it in 1966, though figures were less reliable then.

There is no reason to think people will be throwing sickies on Monday because they've been celebrating all weekend CBI spokesman

Neither do police forces across the country expect widespread disruption from high-spirited fans in the event of an England win.

The nationwide Association of Chief Police Officers has no plans for extra policing, while London's Metropolitan Police seem distinctly unconcerned.

"The Police will deal with instances as they happen and people will be dealt with accordingly," sniffed a tight-lipped spokesman.

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"But at this time there is no specific police operation."

And the Automobile Association are not forecasting gridlock as fans take to their cars for horn-tooting celebrations.

"We're not expecting any chaos on the roads," said a spokeswoman.

One area of the country that will be united in their elation at an England win will be alcohol retailers, with rugby's cohorts notorious in their liking for the odd tipple.

"There's a surge in demand when the rugby's on and especially when England do well," said Andrew Warren, boss of a Bristol-based drinks distribution company supplying the rugby heartland of the west country.

"We noticed it last week [England v France] where we had pubs phoning up at half-time because they were running out of beer. If England win I expect it will be even worse this week."

But the Confederation of British Industry admitted that while the rugby ranks would boost the coffers of selected establishments, they would in fact be living in their own little bubble.

"The truth is that it will have very little impact," said CBI spokesman Richard Dodd.

"It is questionable how widespread the interest actually is.

"It might have a localised benefit on specific sectors for a short period of time but it would be wrong to imagine there would be any measurable effect on the national economy.

"And our yearly absence survey suggests there is no reason to think people will be throwing sickies on Monday because they've been celebrating all weekend."